Still Life: In Focus
by CrumblingFool
Summary: The Twi25: 3 months, 5 picture prompts, 20 word prompts, drabbles and one shots.
1. Chapter 1

**The Twilight Twenty-Five (this time with fewer pictures!): Three months to turn five picture and twenty word prompts into drabbles or one shots. Let's see how this goes (again), shall we?**

**Once again big love to**** my trifecta of awesome Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own very few pajamas I actually sleep in.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 22 - Trap

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She shifted onto her side, t-shirt twisting around her torso with the movement, pajama pants riding up against her calves. After a minute she flipped to her other side, wiggling when the cotton wrapped itself tighter around her body. With a sigh she rolled to her back and tried to use her toes to pull the legs of her pants down.

There was a groan next to her and then a warm hand on her stomach. "What's up, dolphin flipper?"

Bella pulled at the neck of her shirt. "Nothing. Go back to sleep."

"Change your mind about our first sleep over?" She felt his smile against her neck.

"No, I just," her hands fluttered in the air above her chest, "Iusuallysleepnaked."

Edward leaned up then, propping his head on his hand. "What was that?"

"I said, I usually don't sleep in clothes." She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her cheeks heat with embarrassment in the dark.

"Well, by all means."

She looked over to see him smiling widely now, eyebrows raised. "Oh, stop smiling. This is not me coming onto you. I can't get comfortable when I sleep in clothes. They're constricting and ride up and it just makes me feel trapped."

"Do you hear me arguing?" He leaned over, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "Go ahead, get naked. I pinky promise not to have sex with you."

Rolling her eyes she batted his outstretched pinky away and turned her back to him, closing her eyes and trying to get comfortable. But all she could focus on was the feel of cotton wrapped around her, too tight and misaligned.

"You know you want to." Edward's voice sang out softly, quietly.

With one last huff of annoyance she sat up and quickly pulled her shirt off, audibly sighing when it was no longer wrapped around her skin. She pulled the comforter up under her chin before lifting her butt off the mattress to slide her pants off.

She was self-conscious of lying naked in bed next to him, despite the fact that he'd seen her in much more compromising positions. But the freedom she felt in having discarded the offending pajamas was overriding any embarrassment she may have had.

Looking over she saw Edward grinning at her.

"Oh, shut up."

He reached his hand out, pulling her into his side, thumb skimming back and forth across the fabric of her underwear. She pulled both hands in front her chest, creating a small, albeit still mostly naked barrier between them.

"My girlfriend sleeps naked. A guy can't be happy about that?"

Bella pulled her head back. "I'm sorry, your what?"

"My girlfriend," he continued to rub her hip.

"I'm not your girlfriend, Edward."

He scoffed. "You are so totally my girlfriend."

"I'm not!"

He searched her face in the dark. "Well, then what would you call it?"

"We're two consenting adults who happen to enjoy sleeping together."

"That's a little long, don't you think?"

"I don't like labels. They're claustrophobic and they only cause problems."

"Oh, my little new-age girlfriend," Edward sighed, closing his eyes.

"I'm serious. I'm not your girlfriend," she persisted.

"Uh huh."

"And me sleeping over isn't going to happen again. It's a one time thing."

"Mmhmm."

She huffed, watching the way the bit of moonlight that snuck in through the blinds caught his jaw.

***O*O*O***

"Do you want pomegranates?"

Bella looked up from her list. "Do they have just the seeds? It's such a pain to de-seed them."

He rolled his eyes. "I can de-seed a pomegranate."

She opened her mouth to argue, but then thought better of it. "Three please?"

Edward chuckled. "Now you're pushing it, woman," he called as he walked toward the fruit.

"You volunteered," she muttered, scratching out a few things on her list and pushing the cart forward slowly.

"I'm going to go get the bread." She looked back at Edward and pointed. He smiled and nodded, giving an exaggerated roll of his eyes at the large woman blocking his way.

Bella giggled and shook her head. She turned the corner, nearly colliding with a cart going the opposite way.

"Oooh! Sorry!" She looked up and smiled. "Hey!"

"Bella! Hi! How are you?" Angela pulled her cart to the side of the aisle.

"I'm good; I'm good. You? It's been forever."

"She finally moved. I mean, how hard is it to step to the side? Rude is what it is. I got five instead of three, so you'll have to actually eat some of the seeds and not just put them in your wine," Edward came around the corner, holding up the bag of pomegranates.

She smiled up at him. "Edward, this is Angela. We went to high school together," Bella gestured at her old friend. "Angela, this is my...Edward." She could practically feel him smirking next to her.

"Well, Bella's Edward, it's very nice to meet you," she smiled kindly. "I've gotta run, but Bella it was really good running into you. We should grab lunch some time."

"Good to see you, too. I'll give you a call."

She waited until Angela had turned the corner before looking at Edward.

"Oh, shut up."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, rocking onto the balls of his feet, grinning like a little boy. "I didn't say a thing."

"I wasn't going to say what you think I was going to say."

"Okay."

"This doesn't mean anything."

"Right."

"I'm still not your girlfriend."

"Sure."

She sighed. "I hate you a little bit right now."

"I know."

***O*O*O***

He was lying on his back, arms crossed behind his head, watching her move around the room. He made a small contented sigh when she took her glasses off and set them on the nightstand.

"What are you sighing about over there?" Bella looked over her shoulder at him, smiling.

"This is just my favorite part of the night."

"What? Why?" she laughed, slipping her pajama pants off and sliding underneath the comforter. Quickly she shed her tank top and scooted down, lying on her side to face him.

"It's Bella Gets Naked O'Clock."

She rolled her eyes. "How are you still excited by this? It's been, what? Three months?"

Edward shrugged. "I'm a guy, Bella. And you and your boobs get naked and get into my bed every night." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Ridiculous," she laughed.

She was quiet then, eyes unfocused, a small line in between her furrowed brow.

After a few minutes he rolled to face her, linking their hands. "Hey, I can practically hear the wheels spinning in there; give the hamsters a break. Stop over thinking things."

"I know." Her voice was quiet, eyes focused on their hands.

"Look, you said you don't like labels because they're claustrophobic and messy, right?"

She nodded.

"Do you feel claustrophobic sleeping here every night?"

She shook her head.

"What about when we went to my company holiday party?"

She shook her again.

"And was it complicated when we ran into your friend at the grocery store a few weeks ago? Or when you brought my sister soup because she was sick and I was stuck at work?"

Bella sighed and shook her head. "No, I guess not."

"Look, I'm not going to push you into anything you're uncomfortable with and I'm happy to just be with you. But, my feelings for you aren't complicated. And, nothing about wanting to spend time with you is claustrophobic to me. We're here already, Bella. We're in this. So, what's the problem?"

She looked up into his eyes then. "I don't know. I guess it's just- I never planned for you. It was never supposed to get this far."

"So, now that we're here what do you want to do?"

She shrugged and bit her lip. "I think. I think I want to stay. And I think I might love you."

"You think so, huh?" Edward was grinning now, eyes crinkling at the corners. He leaned forward, kissing her deeply.

"I think I might just love you too. You know what else I think?"

"What?"

"I think you need to say it. Outloud." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"You really need to hear it?" she sighed around a smile.

He nodded. "I really do."

"And you won't be happy until I say that you're my boyfriend?"

He leaned forward and kissed her again, his hand stroking down her cheek. "There it is."


	2. Chapter 2

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own peppermint crunch junior mints. It's okay to be jealous.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 01

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

Bella finds him on the hill by his house. He tosses a can into the air, hitting it into the field.

"You're drinking beer?" Metal glints in the grass.

The bat swings down to the empty whiskey bottle. "Ran out." He opens a new can.

"Go home, Bella." He finishes the beer.

"Edward, all doctors lose patients."

"Leave, Bella!"

"I'm not leaving. We're in this together!"

Twirling the bat in one hand he stalks towards her. "I said leave, Bella! NOW!"

He sways, watching her face, then turns, leaves.

"I'm in this!" she shouts.

A second later the door slams.


	3. Chapter 3

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**This one is for my darling Antiaol who needed a little happy today.  
**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own three prints from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 08 - Demure

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She glances at him nervously, never making eye contact, keeping him in her periphery. She dances around him, never coming too close, never staying too far. He gives her her space, lets her get used to the idea of him.

She works the room, chatting friends, teasing the little boys she's practically helped raise. He watches her while he talks with his cousins, smiling shyly when she catches him.

He finds his moment when everyone goes outside to grab food. She lingers behind.

"I'm just-," He catches her by the waist with one arm. "What're you-"

"Hi."

She blushes. "Hi."


	4. Chapter 4

**Love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own penguin slipper socks. Sexy, right?**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 02 - Acquiesce

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: M

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

Edward is just ahead of her, arguing with 90 pounds of stubborn dog.

"Honestly dog, just walk on the path."

She chuckles.

He glares.

"There you go; there's my good girl."

Bella trips, stops. He looks back. "What?"

"Don't talk to her like that," she hisses.

He quirks an eyebrow.

"Like you talk to me when we're," she flutters her hands.

He shakes his head.

***O*O*O***

Their hands are tangled together above her head.

"There it is; that's my good girl," his voice is low, rough.

"Oh, shit." His head drops to her shoulder, laughing quietly.

"It's not funny, you ass!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I finally own the purple wellies I've been coveting for two years.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 21 - Surface

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

Her hair is up, severe, the first time she sees him. He smiles, leaning against the cab of the moving truck.

Her hair is up, small pieces curling around her face when she runs into him at the grocery store, bouncing when he asks her out for coffee.

Her hair is half up, half down, licking at her shoulder blades the first time she takes the long way to her apartment, passing right by his.

Her hair is down, unadorned, the first time he lays her down onto his bed, undressing her slowly.

She's slowly coming undone because of him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a crippled right hand after chipping my car out from under an inch of ice. Thanks a lot, Snowtorious I.C.E.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 11 - Hollow

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Jacob

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She stands in front of him, cheeks hot and streaked with tears.

"Don't. Please."

He smiles sadly. "Bella."

She shakes her head, eyes closed. "_Please, Jake_."

He steps closer, cupping her face and not allowing himself to focus on how she leans into his touch, still. "You deserve someone who can love you so much better than I can. Someone who will love you completely."

She shakes her head again, the weight of her pain pushing her further into his hands.

"This isn't fair to you. Or me."

She looks up then, gathering her breath. "It's better than being alone."


	7. Chapter 7

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own an obscene amount of peppermint hot chocolate.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 19

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

Slipperboots? On. Ex-boyfriend's pilfered boxers? Slightly holy, but on. Hoodie, fruffly scarf and cozy robe? On, on and on.

As she settled onto the couch someone knocked on her door.

"Hi."

"Edward? Why aren't you in Chicago?" She eyed his suitcase. He scrubbed a hand across his neck.

"Surprise?" He smiled shyly.

"I haven't shaved my legs!"

He laughed and took a step forward.

Bella held out her hand. "Come back in twenty minutes...please?"

"You're serious?"

She bit her lip, nodding. As he turned to leave she grabbed his coat and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "Hi."


	8. Chapter 8

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own three flip and tumbles.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 04 - Collapse

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

"It's going to fall."

"It's not going to fall."

She points a finger. "Look, that's just hanging out there unsupported."

He grunts, keeping his back to her. "I have eyes, woman. It's not going to fall."

"Why's Daddy yelling, Mama?"

Edward turns and smiles at his daughter. "I'm not yelling, honey. Mama just needs to go inside." He shoots Bella a pointed look and turns back to the task at hand.

"I want to watch it fall."

"It's not going to," before he can finish his sentence there's a groan as the large wooden playset folds in on itself. "...fall."


	9. Chapter 9

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own way too many books that I haven't read.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 10 - Feign

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She pretends a lot. Distracts herself with friends and family. She enthusiastically throws herself into planning bridal showers and bachelorette parties; baby showers and welcome home parties. All of them requiring tiny foods and tiny gifts.

She moves in a sea of couples and units. Laughs when the waiter splits the check, "Two, two and one."

When she's home, no more babies to snuggle or friends to reassure, her smile fades. The laughter dies as she moves around the small space that is completely her own. Her facade crumbles until she is no longer able to pretend.

She is alone.


	10. Chapter 10

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own an unabashed love of Dave Matthews. Y'all have Bieber, I have DMB. Bygones.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 03 - Bliss

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

He hears the music floating down the hall before he gets to their door.

Setting the grocery bag on the counter he leans against the wall, watching.

She's moving around the kitchen singing, dancing. What she would call dancing. There's jumping and flailing involved and occasionally she shakes her hips.

She turns, face flushed, smiles.

"Love me baby, love me baby, shake me like a monkey, baby," she sings at him, jumping closer.

He laughs. "You're a truly terrible dancer, you know that?"

She smiles bigger. "I know."

Her arms go in the air and he laughs harder, joining in.


	11. Chapter 11

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I finally own an ipod speaker that doesn't need to be jury-rigged to work.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 05 - Damp

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She stomps her feet, ridding them of excess snow. Pulling her hood down she sees long fingers wrap around the handle of the cart she's standing by.

"Um, excuse me? That's my cart."

She's met with green eyes and a small laugh. "Yeah, I don't think so. Grab another one." He nods his head at the others.

"_Those_ are wet. _This one_ is dry." She pushes her shoulders back, her chin up.

He smirks. "Well, wouldn't want you to get all wet. Guess we'll just have to share."

He's striding away before she pulls her mouth shut and catches up.


	12. Chapter 12

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a current wait time of forty-five minutes until my car is ready for me.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 17 -Simple

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

He is clean modern lines, no clutter. She is curlicues, vintage finds and mess.

He is plans and structure. She is impulse and chaos.

His clothes are arranged by color. Her clothes rarely make it onto the hanger.

She is nothing that he ever could have planned for. He is everything she tried to avoid.

She leaves loupes on his counters, the faint smell of stop-bath in his sheets.

He cleans her dishes, puts away her clothes when she's not looking.

Every step has been difficult and conflicting.

But in the end their love is easy and grounding and simple.


	13. Chapter 13

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a B&H wish list that is out of control.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 23 - Under

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She hasn't stopped all day. Moving things unnecessarily, legs twitching when she does finally sit down.

She's still a blur of motion as they get ready for bed that night.

He's on the bed, watching and half listening to her ramble.

In a pause for breath he asks, "What's up? You're all swirly and twitchy."

She stops. "What? I'm not."

He reaches out and pulls her onto the bed, hovering over her, lacing his fingers with hers.

"Need me to help pull you out of your head?"

She's still for the first time all day as his nose skims hers.


	14. Chapter 14

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own...well, not a whole lot to be honest.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 07

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

"I'm not sleeping on the ground."

"Such a baby. And yes, you are," she looks back, smiling.

"Can't we just get a hotel room?" he steps delicately over some mud.

Her ponytail swishes and he knows she's rolling her eyes at him. "Then it wouldn't be camping. It'd be...hoteling."

"That's not a word."

"English major," her standard response whenever he calls her out for making up words.

"You know, just because you studied the language doesn't mean you can do whatever you want to it," he huffs.

She turns just in time to see his foot land in a puddle.


	15. Chapter 15

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; Florence Welch owns "Howl" and I own fresh batch of no-bake cookies.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 13

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Jake/Bella

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

_I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallow'ed ground._

He's running but it's not fast enough. He leaps and there's a tear and stretch of muscle and bone and skin as they realign themselves into a different combination and now, now he's fast enough.

He blocks everything out until it's just the thud of his feet against dirt and blood pounding in his ears. And her. Always her.

It's her fault he's like this. Her fault he's a monster. That he's quite literally running on four feet instead of two.

And even so he doesn't stop loving her.

* * *

**Oh hi there. It seems that I've been a bit of jerk and forgot to tell you about this earlier. The good news is there's still time to donate to Fandom Against Domestic Violence. Go here for more info: fandomagainstdomesticviolence[dot]blogspot[dot]com **

**I've put in a new little o/s along with a ton of other great authors. Great cause and good writing? You really can't go wrong.  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a 30 Day Shred dvd that I try very hard not to break in half every time I finish working out. Much love to the 90 day cult folks.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 06 - Defile

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

He finds her on the floor in the middle of their room; arms stretched out, forehead on the hardwood, knees tucked under her chest.

"Bella? What are you doing?"

She doesn't move. "Child's pose."

"Right, but why?"

She moans a little, slowly walking her fingertips the slightest bit forward. "Jillian Michaels. Level three."

He sees her hand weights in the corner, tennis shoes resting on top. "So...it was hard?" He runs a hand through his hair.

"Everything she touches turns to pain," she whimpers.

"Should I- I mean, do you want me to do anything?"

"She's a life ruiner."


	17. Chapter 17

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own the world's smallest tub. Combine that with the lamest water pressure you've ever seen and taking a bath is just comical.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 25

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

"So, then over here is going to be a big claw-footed tub," she skips over to the empty space. "I'll come home and you'll have white candles surrounding it. We'll both climb in and it'll be so big my toes will barely touch the other side and only then if I really point my feet."

"Is that so?"His breath is warm against her ear.

"Mmhmm," she sighs, nodding.

"And once I've got you all naked and soapy in this new fancy tub of ours, then what?"

She looks back, smiling. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be able to think of something."


	18. Chapter 18

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a giant bottle of rum that has never done me wrong.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 09 - Elixir

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She settles on an empty stool at the outdoor bar, tying her hair back at the nape of her neck.

She smiles as the bartender leans on his forearms against the bar.

"Rum and diet, please."

He studies her for a minute then shakes his head. "No, something different for you, I think."

"No?" she laughs.

She eyes the over-sized orange concoction he returns with warily.

He nudges it forward. "Just taste it."

With one sip she's practically moaning. "Holy shit. I'm pretty sure this could cure the world's problems."

"Maybe. Why don't we just start with yours, for now."


	19. Chapter 19

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a supply of Diet Coke that is running dangerously low.**

**Also, this is for my antiaol, who is, in fact, a jerk. But I love her so.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 18 - Stagger

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: T

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

"I feel like you don't even know me sometimes."

"I feel like I know you're a jerk," she slurs.

"Nice, Bella."

She's drunk, dragging her feet as he tries to guide her to the car.

"Said I was fine," she mumbles, pushing him away.

"Yeah, well, you didn't look fine. You looked like you needed to be cut off," he watches her slowly weave ahead of him.

She's muttering about stupid copper-haired boyfriends and their stupid protective bullshit when she leans too far and falls.

She blinks up at him when he stands over her, smirking. "What was that?"

"Jerk."


	20. Chapter 20

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words. **

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own perfectly polished toes.**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 16 - Ripple

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

That evening he finds her at the end of the dock. Every few minutes her shoulders dip as she touches a toe to the water.

The dock drops under his weight as he walks to her, wrapping his arms around her. She leans against him.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Thinking."

"About?"

She's quiet a moment before responding, "You. Me. Us."

"Ah, and what do you think about those things?" He squeezes her.

"The you and the us is pretty great. But me...you've changed so many things. Changed the way I see myself." She turns and smiles. "I wasn't prepared for that."


	21. Chapter 21

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a tight deadline to get the rest of these posted since I'm going out of town. Hopefully the two-a-day postings don't bug!  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 24 - Wander

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

I wonder, sometimes, what would happen if I just left. If I just packed up, McCandless-style, with a pocketful of cash, a notebook to draw in and told everyone, "See you in six months."

I wonder where I'd go. Not Alaska, because I don't want to die. South, probably. Somewhere warm, sunny.

I wonder what I'd do, who I'd meet. What would it be like to wander? To be tetherless and free. Free of the burdens of cell phones and jobs and responsibilities. No one to let down. Failure and success measured only by what I deemed worthy.

Just me.


	22. Chapter 22

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own a new sweater I bought on clearance for $3.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 20 - Stolen

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: K

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

"Go out with me?"

She looks up from the counter to see him pluck a red sucker out of the jar, twirling the white cardboard stem between his fingers.

She smiles, shaking her head. "I already told you no."

"Yes, but that was at school. Now you're at work."

"Go home, Edward."

"That's not a no," he calls, walking towards the door.

"Hey! You have to pay for that!" she laughs.

He turns around, sucker in his mouth, walking backwards. He holds both hands up, "You know where I live, Swan," and walks out the doors with a smirk.

"Incorrigible."


	23. Chapter 23

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties.  
**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I have temporary custody of a gps that's sending me to some of my favorite fandom folk.**

**Last one for tonight, then two more earlyish tomorrow and we're done!  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 14 - Quixotic

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella

Rating: M

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

Learning to read does not come easy. She remembers sitting against the window, _Frog and Toad_ in her lap, while the rest of her classmates play around her. Over and over she looks at the words in front of her, trying to make her brain see what everyone else's had already figured out.

And then one day it clicks. She gets it. And instead of her teachers requiring extra reading practice, now she's sitting in the beanbags by that window voluntarily. Devouring book after book until she's read them all.

At night her mom reads to her of hobbits and shires and grand quests for treasures guarded by dragons. At school she reads about Frog and his friend Toad; reading about how they tried to fly a kite together and how they cleaned Toad's messy house.

As she gets older and the bedtime stories fade and the animal tales turn to human, her appetite for reading never wanes. She reads of princesses and princes, of love and loss, of babysitters and valley girls and phonies at prep schools, of, "I must, I must, I must increase my bust," and, "mischief managed." Her body flutters at descriptions of kisses and stolen touches, imagining that one day her other half will find her. It tightens and coils at descriptions of duels and misplaced trolls, waiting for the day when she'll have adventures of her own, if on a slightly less fantastic scale.

As she moves into middle school and junior high she watches the dynamics around her shift. She becomes hyper-aware of the opposite sex, blushing when she thinks a boy is watching her, blushing and ducking her head when she worries he's not. Talk at lunchtime switches from the latest Lisa Frank stickers and spelling words to, "Did you see what she's wearing? Totally asking for it," and, "Sophie and Sam got caught making out by Mrs. Banner today. So embarrassing." She sees her friends holding hands with boys not six months ago they'd called gross.

In eighth grade Aaron Paul asks her out. They're in gym class. She crosses her arms under her chest and shakes her head. She doesn't really know Aaron. He has a reputation as a druggie. She's not necessarily against drugs, she's never tried them so she can't really know, but this unkempt boy is not her other half. That much she knows. He asks her three more times before class is over.

After a full week, a stack of notes and more, "Please? 'Come on, go out with me," than she can count she gives in. She's weary of saying no. She's a little bit flattered at the attention. She's tired of trying to explain to her friends why she says no, keeping her romantic idealism to herself.

They date for a year. She's a passive partner in their relationship, letting him lead; not really caring where that is. He's her first ever kiss, her first French kiss. She lets him get to second base before stalling out, batting his hand away as it slides up her leg and under her shorts during English class. He teases her about the books she always carries. She rolls her eyes telling him he's just jealous that she can read. Secretly she knows she's not too far off.

The summer before their freshman year he calls her, upset. His parents are talking about sending him to military school. She pretends to care when he talks about how unfair it is. He ditched more than he actually attended school. He's high more than he's not. She still hasn't done any drugs. He's not very good at sharing. She listens for a few minutes more and then breaks up with him. She knew going in it wasn't love. It wasn't anything close.

She just never knew it'd feel so wrong.

His friends call her heartless. His brother calls her a bitch. High school is a big place. She makes it like he never existed.

She's a watcher, an observer, soaking in the things around her. She watches her friends fall in love quicker than she finishes a book. She watches their hearts get broken time and time again. She's a shoulder to lean on and fiercely loyal.

She wonders if she's missing something, if she should somehow pull herself out of her head and let herself be swept away. But she's too shy to approach anyone and anyone she's interested in doesn't know she exists. So, she reads her books and is there for her friends and halfway believes them when they tell her she should be happy to avoid the drama, that she's just discerning, that any guy would be lucky to date her. She wonders if that's still true if no one's interested.

She still believes in true love and adventure and a life led outside this could-be-anywhere-town. But she's starting to have her doubts.

One by one her friends lose their virginity. By senior year she feels like the only virgin on the planet. She's not waiting for marriage, she's just waiting for someone to be interested. She has one kiss in high school: junior year, her best friend's drunken ex-boyfriend pushes her against his car and she lets him until her guilt gets the best of her.

She's certain it'll happen in college. People fall in love in college all the time. People certainly get laid in college all the time.

Sophomore year she meets the love her life. She's on a ladder adjusting a softbox when he comes in with her friend Angela. They're roommates, Angela tells her. He's gorgeous. Dark hair, a little bit of stubble on his jaw, and a complexion that speaks of Mediterranean lineage. She finds out later he's second generation Greek. She also finds out her fly was down.

Angela, Felix and Jane live two floors up from her in the same apartment complex. They develop an easy friendship. She spend most of her time at their place lusting over Felix, working on photography projects with Angela, discussing lit classes with Jane.

By senior year the four of them are inseparable. She's kept her crush on Felix mostly under wraps, not wanting to be rejected, but at times she swears he's flirting with her. He studies abroad in Germany for a semester. The three girls plan for spring break in Paris to meet up with him. Jane and Angela share a room, leaving Felix with her.

The first night she wakes up to him wrapped around her, hips against hers, hand on her boob. She smiles, still a little drunk, and goes back to sleep. The next day she teases him about the surprise spooning. He pulls on her damp hair and just shakes his head, grinning. But every night she ends up in his arms.

She gets drunk at his goodbye party. He's back from Germany and moving to Texas. On the walk back, all of them drunk and happy and a little sad, they're holding each other up, laughing when Jane falls over. They stop, but don't help her. She can stand on her own. Modest Mouses' "Float On" pulses out of one of the backyards, and she tips her head back, arms out the side. She keeps her eyes open, she'd fall otherwise, and smiles up at the stars, laughing when his fingers dance against her ribs.

"What are you doing?"

She tilts her head back until she can see him. "Floating."

They're two blocks from their place when she confesses her love. He's rubbing a hand over the back of his neck when she squeaks drunkenly and runs ahead of him to link her arm with Angela's with a, "Ohshitohshitohshit."

She passes out on Angela's bed that night. He leaves the next day.

Six months later she gets an email with a picture. It's Felix next to a tall, sandy blonde haired boy. They're smiling against the sun; she can see his outstretched arm and the camera in the reflection of their sunglasses.

The boy, Felix tells her, is Demitri. He thinks he's in love. He's telling his family tonight that he's gay, but he wanted to tell her first. He signs the email with, "I think I loved you too. I'm sorry I never said anything. You'll find him, B. Just be patient."

She cries for an hour. Because a part of her always knew. She's laughing through her tears when she realizes that, of course, she went after someone she could never have. How very like her. She cries because she'd never told Felix about her secret belief in true love and happily ever after, but he knew her well. She's happy for him and tells him so when she's done feeling sorry for herself.

When she's twenty-four it becomes too much. She's not sure how she's supposed to meet guys. She's still shy and wrapped up in her head; she's learned this comes off as bitchy and entitled, but the knowledge that she's sending some sort of 'fuck off' signal out isn't helpful, it only crushes her a little more.

She watches her friends pair off and get married, start families. It's not something she necessarily wants at that moment, but that the option isn't there amplifies her loneliness.

She still reads, stories of heartbreak and love, failure and triumph. She knows now that she'll never have the adventures she dreamed of. She still clings to the idea of romance and butterflies and The One, but even in her own head she does so cautiously.

By the time she's twenty-nine she's no longer waiting for The One, she'll settle for anyone. She realized a couple of years before that she can go entire months without anyone touching her. She lives alone and though she has her friends and family nearby she goes weeks and weeks without so much as a hand on her shoulder, let alone the comfort of someone you care about being there for you.

She's become more talkative over the years. She gives away whole chunks of herself, telling friends and family and sometimes strangers story after story, detail after detail of her life. Hoping that maybe someday someone will stay. Someone will want these pieces she gives away so freely. Someone will finally see something worth sticking around for.

She keeps most of her pain inside, only letting it out when it becomes too much for her to bear. She finds herself resentful of the daily touches and kisses and interactions that most people take for granted. Glaring at couples in the throes of a new relationship, quietly begrudging them their happiness because she hasn't been able to find her own. Or because she hasn't been strong enough to make her own.

Sometimes though, sometimes the burden becomes too much for her to carry alone and she feels like if she doesn't share it soon the weight of it will crush her. It's a late summer night when she snaps at her best friend.

It's still hot despite the late hour and the fact that the sun went down ages ago. They're walking through Alice's new neighborhood, trying to see if they can get lost in the middle of suburbia.

"What's up with you? You've been quiet lately."

She shrugs, looking into the trees lining the small pond they're walking around. "I don't know. Same old shit."

They're both quiet, letting the summer bugs sing their songs as they walk. "It's just...I hate my job, you know? And I'm tired of hating my job. And I'm tired of being single. I'm tired of being a god damn virgin. I'm like a fucking unicorn. And it's lonely." She mutters the last bit, both embarrassed and relieved at letting so much slip. She doesn't like drawing attention to her failures.

"Yeah, I get it," Alice says slowly. "But, at least this way when you find that person you won't have all this baggage. God, I wish Jasper were the only one I'd ever slept with. It's like all my exes are hanging over our head, even though they don't mean anything to me anymore."

She sighs, digging her nails into her palms. "You really don't get it, do you? At all." She stops walking and focuses on a spot on the pavement. "Do you have any idea how lonely I am? How lonely it is to never have had someone want you? I can go weeks, _weeks_ Alice, without anyone touching me. How many times a day does Jasper touch you? And you can't tell me it's not me. After this long it has to be me. It has to be." She stops then, tears streaming down her face, turning to sidewalk below polka-dotted.

She looks up finally and offers Alice a small, watery smile. "Just- Just don't tell me you understand, okay?"

Alice nods and after a moment links their arms. They're quiet the rest of the way back to the house.

She lets her books surround her now, silent, solid guardians of her deepest desires and hopes. They cover every flat surface in her tiny apartment. She still flutters at descriptions of kisses and touches, and now years later, much more intimate scenes. She still coils and tightens at scenes of action and adventure. But now when she puts the book down she knows that her beliefs of love and happily ever after and action and a life more exciting than her own were foolish and idealistic. She no longer lets herself believe those things were meant for her. She used to wonder what her other half would look like. What he would do, or love or sound like. She'd put together different attributes like she was fitting together a puzzle. She tries not to think about it anymore. She has a tenuous hope that eventually she'll find someone to spend her days with. It may not be the great love she imagined for so many years, but she thinks if she can find someone, anyone, who can love her just a little, then she might okay.

She hopes she's not wrong about that too.


	24. Chapter 24

**Big love to ****Bookjunkie1975, Coolbreeeze and Word Ninja for beta/pre-reading duties. And yes, I am just crazy/insecure enough to need 3 people look at 100 words.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own my first Cadbury egg of the season.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

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Prompt: 12 - Push

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: M

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

She stumbles backward, unzipping her dress as she goes. He watches her with feral eyes, slowly walking forward as his fingers loosen the tie around his neck.

She shimmies, the fabric pooling at her feet, then stills.

She's big eyes and full lips as he comes to stand in front of her. He leans forward; she leans back until he's pushed her onto the bed without laying a hand on her.

He crawls up her body, finally touching her when his lips brush her ear.

"Just to be clear," his hand skims up her side, "I'm here for the sex."


	25. Chapter 25

**Big, big love to ****Erin, Brie and Ali who deal with my crazy and love me even when I'm emo and yelling, "LET ME FEEL MY FEELINGS!" at them. You girls rock, so very very hard.  
**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight; I own the satisfaction of having completed my second round of the Twi25. This is my little shout out to Indy, which as Erin rightly pointed out, doesn't get any love in this fandom. Spot the Whedon reference, win a prize.  
**

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]livejournal[dot]com

Prompt: 15 - Return

Pen name: CrumblingFool

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: M

Photos for prompts 1, 7, 13, 19, & 25 can be found here:

community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/thetwilight25/16325[dot]html

* * *

My heart was thudding in my ears, beating heavily and conspicuously. It drowned out the noises surrounding me – people chatting and laughing, cars moving in and out of traffic. I didn't hear any of it, only the double-timing thump of my heart. The wind blew my hair into my face, brown strands invading my view, and with an impatient hand I swiped them away. I didn't want anything to obstruct my view. Not today. Not now. Not when I was on the verge of making what could be a life altering move. Nothing would be the same after this. It was _the_ moment. You know that moment in the movies when a catchy but affirming Top 40 song plays and the protagonist springs into action – striding into a boardroom to confront a soul-sucking boss, or tell off a repressive family member, or embrace a long-lost love, kissing passionately and solving all their problems with a press of lips and tongue, all while the music swells and the camera spins a 360 around them? This was my moment. If only I could get my damn feet to move.

Okay, there's a slight chance I'm being a bit hyperbolic.

No. No, on second thought, I'm not being hyperbolic at all because this is Edward frakking Cullen and you can't overstate things when it comes to him. And if I could just get my stupid feet to move and go talk to him, have an actual conversation, I just _knew_ that we'd fall truly, madly, deeply in love and make tiny, little green-eyed, tousle-haired babies. I looked down at my stubborn feet, wiggling my toes and watching them move, the deep purple polish glinting in the sun. Okay, so they worked. There was no reason why I should be glued to my spot in front of the large picture window. "Move!" I hissed down at my feet, glaring when they didn't obey.

"Bella?"

"Mother of God!" I jumped, clutching my hand to my already hardworking heart as I spun around to find Jake standing right behind me. He was looking down at my feet, eyebrows creased in confusion.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I smacked his arm as I talked. "I almost had a heart attack! Are you _trying_ to kill me?"

He grabbed my arm then, stopping my ineffectual beating and lifted his eyes from my feet to my face.

"Were you…were you talking to your feet?" he cocked his head to the side and if he'd had long enough ears one would have been bent, one standing straight up. A smile played at the corner of his lips.

"Yes Scooby, I was," I turned away from him to face the window and the door next to it, my destination. "They won't move."

I watched through the window as the future father of my children fit a white plastic lid onto the cup in his hands and handed it off to the teenager in front of him. He flashed a quick smile and I was certain she was blushing as she accepted the drink, leg bouncing nervously against the tile floor. He had a damn good smile.

Jake's eyes had followed mine and he chuckled lowly. "So today's the day, huh?"

I nodded, "If I could get my stupid feet to move," not looking away.

We stood quietly for a few moments before he shifted behind me.

"Well, I'm going to actually go in and get a drink. You want anything or you trying out coffee through osmosis?"

"No. I'll be there in a minute. I _will_." I glared back at him.

"One day, baby girl," he smirked, adjusting the frayed ball cap on his head before heading though the entrance.

"Don't call me that," I called after him. His shoulders were shaking with laughter as the doors closed on his back.

He moved up to the counter, greeting Edward warmly as he ordered his drink. They chatted as Edward turned his back to make Jake's drink, probably about the grad class they shared. I'd been focused on Edward, the cut of his faded grey t-shirt, the way the muscles in his back moved beneath the worn fabric, the way they'd feel under my fingers, when Jake leaned against the counter, his hip cocked so he was facing me and he winked when my eyes met his. With a devious smile he nodded his head towards me as he kept talking. Edward's head lifted and his eyes scanned the window before landing on me. He arched an eyebrow and smiled before looking back at Jake.

"Oh, no. Nonononononono," I shook my head, glaring at Jake through the window. He chuckled, pulling an eyebrow up. "Mother _fucker_," I breathed. With a deep breath I willed my feet to move and felt them carry me to the door. "Stupidstupidstupid poor excuse for a best friend. Idiot!" I was still muttering under my breath as I reached Jake.

"Oh hey Bella! I was just telling Edward here about how you're getting your MFA in creative writing at Butler," he smiled widely at me flashing his stupid white teeth.

"God damn fool," I mumbled.

Edward's eyebrows shot up and he looked at me curiously. There was far too much eyebrow raising going on for my liking. I felt my face heat.

"Oh, not you," I said softly, trying to kick Jake in the shin when I heard him start laughing but he moved out of my reach before my foot could make contact.

"I didn't know you were at Butler," Edward's voice broke through and I felt my face heat even more.

No, he wouldn't know that. I came into the store every day, sometimes twice a day, but our conversation never expanded beyond a murmured hello and my drink order. I rarely made eye contact and when I did it was fleeting, certain he'd immediately be able to see my desire. So no, he wouldn't know that about me.

"Uh, yeah," I said stupidly, looking into his eyes before immediately pulling them down to my feet to focus on the worn rubber of my flip flops. _Too green; too green; so, so green._ I shifted my weight from foot to foot, pulling the strap of my purse further up my shoulder. "You're there too, right?"

_Idiot._ I knew this. He knew I knew this. We'd had this conversation a couple of months ago when Jake had come into the store with me and they recognized each other from class. Because of course Jake would have class with the man of my dreams.

"Yeah, Jake and I have a class together, remember?" he asked not unkindly.

"Right, right." I rolled my eyes at myself. Well, this was going swimmingly. This is why our conversation never veered from the predetermined script. I was bad at chitchat. I was doubly bad at chitchat with someone I wanted to fling myself at, howler monkey style and make out with for hours upon hours. And I was completely incapable of chitchat when those green eyes were focused on me. Hell, I could barely form full sentences.

"What a crazy random happenstance!" Jake chuckled, smiling broadly at me over his drink, eyes wide.

"I don't think I've ever seen you on campus," the poor kid continued, ignoring Jake and not understanding that things were only going to get worse from here.

"Oh, um, I'm taking night classes. I work." Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. "During the day. I work during the day. To pay my bills." Woo, Stephen Hawking watch your back here comes Bella Swan. Jake's eyes were bugging out of his head. I shot him a hard look as he mouthed, "What the hell?"

Edward chuckled. "Paying the bills is always good. Believe it or not, coffee bitch is not my chosen profession. I just like to pay my bills too." My head shot up. Was he seriously mocking me? The crooked smile confirmed it. I blushed fiercely. I don't think I'd stopped since I'd walked through the door.

"Right. Well…" and before I could embarrass myself any further I practically sprinted to the two over-sized chairs tucked into the corner of the room. I flung myself down into a chair, pulling my legs up and digging through my purse just so I could keep my head down and let my heart rate attempt to return to normal.

"Oh my god, baby girl, you got it bad," Jake let out a long whistle as he sat down.

"Shh! Keep your voice down, ass!" I hissed. I stopped rooting through my purse and left it in my lap, resting my head against my knees as I hugged them closer to my body. "I hate you so very much. And stop. calling. me. that."

"You know, he's just another guy. He's not the end-all, be-all of the male species," Jake said softly.

I shook my head against my knees, not bothering to lift it.

"Baby girl."

I brought my head up sharply to tell him to knock it off. He was smiling, the jerk. He inclined his head back towards the counter. "I think Boy Wonder wants to talk."

I looked over to see Edward motioning me to come over. Christ. Would the humiliation never end?

Moving slowly I let my legs fall to the floor and stood. I dropped my purse into the chair and made my way towards green eyes and a crooked smile.

Coming in front of the counter I raised my eyebrows questioningly. Oh great, now I was doing it.

"You forgot your drink," he pushed a white cup towards me with a quick lick of his lips.

"Oh. I. Uh. Just let me get my-" I stuttered.

"Oh the house," he pushed the cup into my hands, fingertips brushing mine briefly.

"Oh, you don't have to- I can just get my- It's right over-"

"Bella," His voice saying my name was like melted butter over fresh sweet corn from the little stand on Highway 46 on the way to Grandview Lake. I looked up at Edward meeting his eyes. "It's on the house," he said more firmly. "Just take it and say thank you."

"Thank you." I ran my fingers through my hair, turning and taking a sip. I stopped halfway back to Jake and took another sip. I spun on my heel and marched back to Edward, frowning down at the drink in my hands as I set it on the counter a little more forcefully than I'd intended.

"What's wrong? Is it not right? It should be right. I thought-" Edward looked genuinely concerned.

"No. No, I didn't order this."

"I can re-make it. Or did you want something different?" He started mumbling a little, but I was too focused to notice what he was saying.

"No. I didn't _order_ this." I repeated, jabbing a finger at the drink. I needed to keep talking before he started and distracted me with his stupid words and his stupid pretty smile and his stupid gorgeous eyes I could get lost for days in. _Focus, Bella!_ "I didn't order this. But this is what I order. When I order something. I order this. But I didn't order anything today. Order doesn't sound like a word anymore. _Fuck_. Oh shit, sorry. You remembered. But it's kind of your job to remember…but you remembered."

Oh. My. God.

He was smirking now, trying to not to outright laugh at me.

"Bella, you've come in almost every day for the last four months and ordered the exact-" I held my hand up to stop him. With a small smile he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rocked back onto his heels, but remained silent.

"You remembered," I repeated as he licked his lips. God damn I wanted to do that for him. I shook my head a little to clear it. "What are you doing Saturday?" The _hell_?

He looked a little shocked, hell I was shocked, but he recovered quickly. "Not a thing."

"Movie?" I was apparently beyond full sentences now. "Seven o'clock; meet here?"

"I'd like that," he said with a grin. Sweet lord he was pretty when he smiled.

I gave a decisive nod and turned, headed back to Jake who was pretending to wipe tears from his eyes as he smiled at me.

"My little girl's all growed up."

"Shut it." But I sat down gripping my drink in both my hands and brought it to my mouth to hide the ridiculously huge grin making its way across my face.

* * *

**Well, that's all she wrote, folks. Thank you so much to everyone that read and reviewed. Y'all make me smile.  
**


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